Species 30-35 (1 in the flora): sw United States, Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Eurasia, Australia.

Commicarpus is a pantropical genus of arid areas and is most diverse in Africa and the Middle East. A. Heimerl (1889) regarded it as Boerhavia sect. Adenophorae Heimerl. F. R. Fosberg (1978) argued for its continued placement within Boerhavia, particularly for nonspecialists, but most authors now recognize Commicarpus as distinct. As R. D. Meikle (1978) discussed, the funnelform perianth, the long-exserted stamens and style, the obscurely 10-ribbed, fusiform or clavate fruits with the large viscid glands, and the semiwoody nature of the plants all distinguish Commicarpus from Boerhavia.